Colors of Blood
by gaaraxvamp
Summary: A strange girl from a strange place meets Gaara of the Desert, What could go wrong? Definately EVERYTHING especially when this strange girl isn't even human! She's a vampire who can be in daylight! set in part 1
1. Ch 1: A New Start

Chapter 1: A New Start

OK, so there I was all tied up, soaking wet, in a Lolita-style costume with human-sized bat wings, in abandoned part of the village on Halloween night. You see somehow Temari-senpai convinced me to wear this costume instead of just putting on a cape and being a vampire, but I'm getting ahead of myself. For you to completely get the story I'll have to start before the beginning……. **About 2 Months Earlier……**

I cautiously look around for any sign of the cops. They were after me because I had almost killed someone for calling me a 'weak little girl', well obviously I proved him wrong. By the way my name's Kusa Kubi and I'm 13 years old. I'm not very tall, 142 cm or 4'8" to be exact. I have short brown hair that covers my face. I have a maroon short-sleeved tunic-styled dress with a black corset on top of it, and a long-sleeved fishnet shirt and black shorts underneath it. I travel around America…okay Virginia more specifically Fairfax county. So yeah I'm pretty much homeless and it's been that way my whole life. Well at least for the past three and half years, I can't remember anything before then. I always feel like I don't belong here…in this world, like I belong in the world of shinobi…the 'Naruto' world…almost like I was born there. One of the cops chasing me spots me by the edge of a cliff.

"You've got nowhere to run. If you turn yourself in you might not get a life sentence." The cop starts coming closer to me and I start backing up to the edge of the cliff.

"D-don't come any closer!" my foot slips and I fall backwards off the cliff and into the ocean. I'm gonna drown. I hit the water and frantically try to swim up to the surface but my efforts are futile as I never learned to swim. I see my air bubbles go up to surface. Everything goes black.

"Hang in there okay?" A boy asks. Whose voice is that? Why does it sound familiar? Shouldn't I be dead?

"Huh? Where am…I?" Besides being on the boy's back.

"The Hidden Leaf Village." Wait a minute…that voice belongs to-! "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, by the way. What's your name?"

"Kusa…Kusa Kubi. You can put me down now. I'm fine." There's no freakin' way I'm in the Leaf village! I pinch myself. Owww…Okay I'm not dead and this isn't a dream. "Where did you find me?" I ask him looking through my messenger bag. The school uniform I stole and volume 20 of Naruto. Not that I let the kid himself see it.

"You were passed out on the cliff over there and almost fell off. Whachya got in there?"

"It's not really any of your business. Anyway can you show me into town? This is my first time to the Leaf so I don't which way the town part is." He shows me to town and we part ways, him going to go see a friend of his in the hospital though I didn't catch the name, there's a possibility it's Uchiha since I ended up in part one. I go wonder through the village center and come across a familiar looking bar-b-q. Ahhh…The aromas! I look in the window, believe it or not I can actually see through the mop that is my hair. Wow that food looks so good! I press my hands up against the window as if I were looking into a candy shop. My stomach rumbles and I bang my head slightly against the window. This startles the people in the booth next to the window.

"Gee, I wonder if you're hungry." Retorts an unfamiliar voice from behind. "The crest on the back of your dress…a cross…you're a blue blood aren't you?" my eyes widen, I nod. The only people who know what blue bloods are by the crest are the blue bloods themselves…a.k.a. vampires. "Heh you're drooling. I'll take you in if you want and you can meet my friends." She offers and points to the window I was looking in then waves to none other than Team 10.

"My name's Umi Kubi I was adopted by the Inuzuka clan when I was little so I use their name but seeing as you're a blue blood I can use my real name. By the way I'm violet blood, a half breed." Umi is a Waterbender - being able to bend or control one of the four elements is a normal power amongst us; we are given name that relates to the element we bend- I'm an Earthbender. She's taller than me - basically a female version of Kiba with a chuunin jacket.

"So then we're half-sisters. I'm full breed though I haven't awoken yet." We enter the restaurant and our vampire conversation ends. We approach Team 10, minus Asuma- something about Kurenai.

"Hey you guys this is my half-sister Kusa. We were separated for a long time because of family issues. Anyway she's been traveling around and hasn't eaten in a while, so do you mind?" I stand behind her. How did she…? It can't be true can it? Ah-well it's a good cover up. No wonder she's a chuunin, must've been promoted last time around. They let us eat with them since there's a free seat, I sit next to Shikamaru. "Oh yeah congrats on being promoted Shika-san."

"Thanks, I guess." Promoted? So I ended up in the middle of 'Naruto'. At least from what I heard; I've heard that there are over 200 episodes in 'Naruto' and I ended up in episode 107. I just barely ended up in the middle. I sigh to myself in my head, any actual useful information has already occurred. So I'm pretty much useless……

"You're so pale, uh…Kusa that's your name?" Ino asks, I nod. She's so annoying but I'd rather be her friend than Sakura's any day. "Umi are you sure you guys are sisters?" like I said Umi is a female version of Kiba so she's taller than me, her skin is darker than mine and I'm pretty sure our eyes are different too.

"I said half-sisters, Ino; you really need to pay attention. And besides, I can just tell." She orders more meat, just for me, it comes to the table, and Umi puts it on the grill for me. Chouji and I start salivating. "Back off Chouji-san this is all for Kusa."

"Are you really gonna eat all that?" Chouji half-whines.

"Yea I haven't eaten anything in a few days and I'm starving." I take my first piece of meat and eat it. Then I start eating the meat like it's my last meal….Technically this is my first meal; in the 'Naruto' world at least.

"Geez, slow down will ya?!? You're gonna get sick if you keep eating like that." Shikamaru warns me.

"You should listen to him. Even **I** don't eat like that." That coming from Chouji, I must really look like a pig. I stop stuffing my face for a minute to defend myself.

"I literally haven't eaten in a few days…at least a week I think." I go back to filling up my once empty stomach. I grab a piece of grilled carrot, at least that's what it looks like, anyway, and chow down. But it doesn't taste like a carrot at all, in fact it doesn't taste like food at all…it tastes like sand…I force myself to swallow it and I immediately stop eating. "All full."

"Thanks a lot I'm almost broke!" My new-found half sister yells at me.

"I'm right here you don't need to yell." I say covering my ears.

"Whatever…C'mon let's go wash up I want you to meet my brother!" Umi drags me to the bathroom. "Now we can talk about blue blood stuff in peace. So, start spilling what you know."

"I'm still not sure I can trust you, I've been betrayed in the past several times before. But I do know you're not lying. So, okay I'll spill. I am a full bred blue blood and for the past two years I've been traveling around looking for my half sister…you. Though what I said earlier was true, that I haven't Awoken yet, the only reason I stopped eating was because that carrot I had tasted like sand. So I'm probably starting to Awaken." I sense someone, three people actually, approaching the restrooms.  
"I have to use the bucket, I'll meet you outside and then we can go meet that 'brother' of yours."

"Sounds like a plan to me." She leaves now I can sort things out in my head without distractions.

Okay so I drowned and ended up in the Leaf Village, no big deal…okie-yeah it is a big deal. But I found my sister…who probably lives with Kiba and I met Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, and Naruto. Which is totally kick-ass, but ok I even sound crazy in my head, oh well, I'll make the most of it and go to the Sand village tonight, I've always wanted to be a shinobi and the Sand is made up of solely rock it's totally perfect for me.

"Oh Chouji!" I hear Ino start to complain to him as I walk out of the restroom. "You're so lucky that you don't have to worry about what or how much you eat. Let me tell you being on a diet can be pretty tough."

"Well then why are you on a diet Ino?"

"We diet for one very important reason Chouji: so we can look as cute as can for the boy we like."

"But what if the person that you like isn't into super-skinny girls?"

"Hmph! Well in the first place, most boys aren't as fat- I mean…Most of the boys I know like girls who look fit. And that's true the other way around as well. Hehehe, you might think about taking a little better care of your body, Chouji. Or you won't get any girls." She walks off and waves bye. Then Shikamaru pops out of the men's restroom.

"Heh, she has no clue. Despite what most women seem to believe, men don't always go for the skinny girls. Most guys I know they like girls with a little meat on their bones. It just looks healthier, oh yeah and the reverse is true too. Ya know? I'd bet anything she'd be twice as popular if she put on a few pounds instead of starving herself. She should eat." He puffs up his face like a balloon.

"Then I'm in a world of trouble, no matter how much I eat I don't gain any weight." I joke.

"You're one hilarious guy Shikamaru and you're kind of a genius too."

"Huh?"

"That's right just think about it, even I can tell you're way more amazing than Sasuke or that Neji guy could ever dream of being."

"Hm? Huh…I never really thought about it like that before, I'm just being me." I leave so I don't have to keep Umi waiting any longer.

"That Shikamaru guy…"

"Is a dork? I know…"

"No, he's really cool. He's the only one who made chuunin this time around, he cheered up that Chouji kid, and he's funny." To top it all off he's really good looking.

"Huh, girls usually go for Sasuke not Shikamaru." Umi starts walking towards her house…I think.

"Wait a minute, are you implying that I want to be in some kind of romantic relationship with this Shikamaru? Because, if you are, I have no real interest in him and besides I just met him. And Sasuke? As in that Uchiha guy? I heard he's a hottie, which means he's definitely not my type." I say following her, hands behind my head. Just then a dog that looks like an Akita pup appears in front of us.

"Maki? What're you doin' here? Don't tell me Lady Tsunade's giving me another solo C-rank, is she?" the Akita, Maki, nods. "I swear that woman trying to kill me because I have an unorthodox way of healing." She looks to the side. "Perfect timing. Hey Kiba! Come over here for a sec will ya!" the smell of gourmet food hits me. So that's why Kiba's over here, we're in front of the Shushuya, I didn't even notice that we were walking this way. (The Shushuya is Kiba's favorite restaurant.)

"So Umi what do you want?"

"This is who I was talking about earlier. Kusa, Kiba; Kiba, Kusa. Kusa is my half sister. Kiba is my 'brother'. I have to go on a mission and if I'm late again Lady Tsunade will have my hide, so will you watch her for me Kiba?"

"Sure! Anything for you!" Umi poofs away. "So are you one of _them_?" he asks as Akamaru sniffs me.

"Yea." Akamaru barks: '_She's a real blue blood, no scent at all.'_ to Kiba. "So…this is your dog…cute little pup. And smart too. So did you figure out that she was half-and-half or did she tell you?"

"Both." He rubs his neck. He's never done that, in the anime or the manga. Then realization hits me; she bit him.

"So how many know?"

"Well besides me, Shikamaru's the only one." I give him an oh-shit look. So Shikamaru's probably figured out I'm a vampire too. "What?"

"Well I've met him so he probably knows too. Oh well, could you tell Umi that I'm sorry for not sticking around longer, for me please? I wanted to make sure she was alive before I became an official shinobi."

"What do you mean you're sorry?! You just found each other today right?! You should at least wait a while before you run off!"

"Well you know what? I'm kinda late as it is becoming a shinobi and I seriously don't want to wait much longer or I'll go crazy. I just wanted to make sure she was alive that's all nothing more. I'll be in the Hidden Sand village. I'm leaving _now_." I leave him at the Shushuya and walk to the nearest convenience store and take a map of the world. Alright so if I'm in the Leaf then to get to the Sand I have to go southwest for…676 KILOMETERS?! That's 420 miles!!!! This is going to be a long night…


	2. Ch 2: The Sand Shinobi

Chapter 2: The Sand Shinobi

"Ughhh! Why does the Sand have to be so far?!" I shout to no one as nobody can hear me. I've been flying since night came, after I ran for a few hours. Oh yeah guess I forgot to mention; I have bat-like wings and can fly. But of course I don't have them out all the time; I can retract them like cats do with claws. But it takes a lot of energy to use them so I only do so for long distances. At least by now, at 4 in the morning, I'm in the Land of Wind. Although I just flew over the boarder of the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers' half an hour ago and according to the map the Sand Village is in the middle of the country so it's going to be at least another 3 hours of flying… **3 Hours Later…**

OK, so I'm in the village…now what? After the 3 hours or so of flying, I crash landed onto a rooftop not too far inside the village. I'm really exhausted from traveling so now I'm sitting on bench somewhere in the middle of the village. Ugh…why the strong smell of alcohol?

"Hey gorgeous ho'ya doin?" Oh…that's why. Drunkards were always trying to feel me up, take advantage of me, etc. because they mistook me for a whore. I mean why else would a 13-yr old girl be up and out early in the morning? Maybe it's because she's homeless and has chronic insomnia. I usually just beat them to a pulp but seeing as I just flew almost 700 kilometers overnight in one shot, I didn't have the energy to do that so I just walked away hoping he wouldn't follow me. I at least had enough energy to walk though not run otherwise I would've just done that. The sun's beginning to rise, no one not even a drunkard would be stupid enough to even try to make a move on a girl, at least during the daytime. The scent of alcohol is following me. Dammit! Why do people have to be so… "Don't chya wanna cuddle sweet thang?"

Damn! Whoever this guy is he's not gonna give up on me. Why does my life have to be so miserable? I continue trying to get away from him, but eventually he has me pinned against the door of a house near what looks like to be the Kazekage's mansion.

"You can't escape my darlin' little girl. I'll pay you big bucks if you give your virginity up to me." He comes closer to me I taste his beer-filled breath. "C'mon little lady you know you want some." I start banging on the door. "Don' be like that." He pins both of my wrists to the door with one hand and forces me to look at him with another. Then he leans in to kiss me. Not one before him has been this persistent. I wait for it but instead of a kiss against my will, I end up falling backwards on the floor…Whew talk about in the nick of time.

"Tsukune Mitsumo, this is what the 15th time you've tried to hook up with a girl against her will? Man, you never learn." I recognize the voice but not the face. "Drinking under the legal age limit again too? This time I'm really gonna call your mom!"

"No! NO! I'm leaving! I'm leaving!" the Tsukune guy gets off of me and scrams before the other boy picks up the phone near the door. Wait a minute…they have phones in this world?!?...guess it makes sense since they have computers and headsets.

"You okay?" I nod. "Good now go home."

"Kankurou! That's no way to treat a woman!" a blonde girl with four ponytails smacks Kankurou upside the head. Wait if that's Temari then that must be what Kankurou looks like without that stupid hat and make up. Yea he looks way better without said items. "I'm sorry about my stupid younger brother. I was about to fix breakfast would you like to stay for some?" Then my stomach answers for me. She motions for me to sit at a table just outside their small kitchen. I'm not really paying attention to what she's fixing, but it smells like pancakes, bacon, eggs, and buttered toast (yum!). I can't help but wonder where their younger brother is…

"You know…" Kankurou starts. "You wear a lot of eye make up for a 10-yr old (big chest too)." Fucking idiot.

"M-moron! For your information I'm 13! _And_ I have chronic insomnia (and don't look at my chest you pervert!)."

"You too?" Comes from a redhead now sitting down at the table. I look him dead in the eyes; they're way different from the way they looked in the chuunin exams. Their house is nice and cool…my body is heating up…No, just my face…Is this…is this what they call blushing?!? Why would _I_ be blushing?!? And what's with the aura coming from him? My heart's beating so fast…and I want to…

"Hey! I've heard of you! You're the boy that's got the demon Shukaku in you, right?" He doesn't answer me and the strange aura seems stronger and makes my heart beat faster…Now I get it… "Um, I have one too…I have a demon inside of me." …Aw shit! Did I just?! Great, now almost-total strangers know one of deepest secrets. "But anyway my name's Kusa!" I extend my hand to him and he just stares at it.

"My name is Gaara…of the Desert." He slowly extends his hand to mine and shakes it. Before I know it breakfast is on the table. I start digging in.

"You're not from around here. Are you?" Kankurou asks.

"Naw really?" I say sarcastically. Then I finish my breakfast and my tone turns serious. "…I've been traveling around gathering general information on the Five Hidden villages for the past six months and…I've finally decided that I want to become a Sand village kunoichi."

"You're too old to start at the ninja school here." Temari states.

"I'm a quick study! And I-!"

"But if you let me finish…" Temari cuts me off. "It depends on what your abilities are but the superiors of the village might let you be a part-time shinobi and go to school until they've deemed you worthy of being a full-time shinobi." Temari, Kankurou, and Gaara get dressed to go with me to the mansion where the superior's office is located.  
**About 8 hours later…**

The four of us are on our way to help rescue Sasuke…or forcefully take him back to the Leaf village, take your pick. He's willingly going to Orochimaru, why anyone would go to that Michael Jackson wannabe willingly is beyond me. Personally I don't care if that twisted freak uses that reanimation jutsu on Sasuke but a mission's a mission. I told the superiors of the village that I had tracking abilities which was right before they got mission request from Grandma Tsunade and since the four of us were there they sent us on the mission. I still can't believe it…my first mission is an A-ranked mission. This is so cool!

I notice a few scents in the air and I slow down a bit. I recognize two of the scents…Kiba and Akamaru! I can smell their blood as well… "Kankurou! You take this one!" I notice Shikamaru's scent and another's scent that is dangerously close to his. Must be the work of his shadow jutsu… "Temari!"

"On it!" I can only smell two more scents as well as sense them through the earth. Then my highly-sensitive ears pick up something.

"Your speed is impressive, but this is over now."

"Gaara we have to pick up the pace or it'll be too late!" We come to the meadow where the sound-nin and Rock Lee are fighting. The sound-nin tries to punch Lee but Gaara's sand pushes them apart and Lee lands on his sand.

"Who're you?" he asks.

"Allies of the Leaf village, we're shinobi of the Sand." Lee looks at us and then back at the sand like he can't believe that we're really there. Gaara steps in front of Lee.

"He is Gaara of the Desert." Lee states.

"Gaara…is that what they call you?" bones grow out of the white-haired boy's finger tips. "Digital Shrapnel!" he fires the small bones at us and Gaara blocks it with his sand.

"Impulsive aren't you?" he looks back at Lee. "You're different. When you fought against me, you had much more agility and sharpness." Lee gets up.

"I figured you would say that. I am not the kind of person who holds a grudge; even so…because of you I have had a fairly tough time of it." The sand starts disappearing back into Gaara's gourd.

"…Really?"

"Anyway, why have you come here?"

"…I owe the Leaf…" He starts. "I owe the Leaf a great debt." A breeze blows through the meadow. What an ominous wind. I almost say out loud. Lee gets in a fighting position. His blood is seeping through the wrappings around his forearms. "I'll handle this." Gaara says.

"No, please, just back me up." Lee protests. Gaara's sand stops him and he falls face-first into it. "I got sand in my mouth! Will you please let go of me!" He winces from pain.

"You're not doing anything in your present state." Gaara steps in front of Lee (again). "I've got this."

"Do not let your guard down; he uses his bones to attack. He can launch them like you saw before and forces them to protrude from his body. He is able to control them all at will!"

"You're Gaara of the Desert, you wield sand hence the name." the bone-guy says stating the obvious. He stares at Gaara probably coming up with a plan of attack. He raises his hands, "Digital Shrapnel!" Gaara and he begin to fight. I don't what I could offer, it looks like Gaara already has this covered and…this guy's taijutsu level is pretty high maybe even at _my_ level. I'll just make sure Lee doesn't get in Gaara's way. "Gaara of the Desert…rather a foolish nickname isn't it? You're nothing without that sand of yours." Can't really argue with that, I mean he isn't exactly the taijutsu type. He's…feeding his sand into the ground?

"Sand Shower." A cloud of sand appears above us in the sky and the sand Gaara was feeding into the ground earlier wrap around the sound-nin's ankles. "But as long as I have it I can do anything, the only fool here is you. If I need more sand I can easily use the earth we're standing on to make more." Wow…since Naruto knocked some sense into him he's gotten a lot stronger, not even I an actual bender of earth could do that. They don't call him 'Gaara of the Desert' for nothing…amazing.

"You did it!" Lee shouts….Owww…

"Almost…"Gaara responds crushing the older boy using his infamous Sand Coffin, Sand Burial jutsu combo. Gah-! I cover my nose with both of my hands to try and cover the smell. "When I look at this guy it reminds of him. Uchiha, his eyes…Sasuke had the same eyes this guy does."

"The same eyes?" Lee questions him. He's right…they do have the same eyes…seeking to prove the value of their own existence. Does that mean I'm like Sasuke?...No it can't b-! The bone-guy starts coming out of the sand coffin. I fall to my knees.

"A-are you alright?" Lee asks.

"The smell of blood…makes me a little…lightheaded that's all."

"Im-impossible…" he states, referring to that bone-guy.

"That sure was a lot of pressure. If I hadn't grown a membrane of bone underneath my skin I would've been crushed beyond recognition."

"More bones, he's monster, a freak." Gaara states. Him calling that guy that and…_he's_ human. What'll happen if he finds out _I'm_ not? Will he hate me? Call me a freak? Even worse call me a monster? I refocus myself on the current situation those questions will be answered later.

"Well, he certainly is a nuisance." Lee responds.

"I underestimated you, but that's the last time I'll get caught in your sand." Gaara starts making a bunch of hand signs.

"Sand Tsunami!" The perfectly-named jutsu starts and a huge -no gigantic wave of sand appears and heads for the sound-nin. With the wind from the moment of the sand like that in his face he's really cute-Gah! What am I thinking? Mentally saying a _human_ is cute. Feh…So much sand the other guy can't escape from it or attack for that matter and changing the terrain itself.

"Y-you did it!" Lee shouts. Ya know I bet he's the only one that's comparable to Naruto in loudness…

"No, not yet. Giant Sand Burial!" All the vibrations coursing through the earth…is giving me a headache…No way you've got to be kidding me! This guy's still-! "Why won't he give up?"

"His heartbeat is slow but it's there. It seems like whether he's killed or not he's going to die…today. Hun? The scent of his blood is…gone. He's over there by that treetop!" A grayish-purple hand appears by the tree I pointed out. The sand swirls around the boy. Immediately I stand up.

"Sand Coffin!" I know there's that saying 'The third time's the charm' but…I don't think that applies in this situation. He successfully brakes out of the coffin (again) and charges at us. What the!? He looks like a freakin' dinosaur!!! Gaara starts attacking him with small waves of sand; the sound-nin dodges them all. I'd help Gaara but I've never bent sand before so…  
He puts up a shield and the other guy charges right through it and basically throws Gaara up in the air.

"Is that the best you can do with your ultimate defense? Is that all?" he says mocking Gaara. "I'm very disappointed." Luckily Gaara covered himself in sand to cushion the impact. "I see…an armor-like shell of sand."

"Grah! That does it! He's not your only opponent ya know!" I throw some kicks and punches but before I can break his bones he swings his tail-thing around and tries to hit me but Gaara's sand protects me from the full force of the blow. I land on the ground a few meters away. If Gaara's sand hadn't intercepted that blow I might not be able to move for a while. I struggle to at least sit back up.

"I'm tired of that sand. Very well Gaara you first." A circular-looking bone comes from the middle of his back and he pulls it out of his body like a sword from its sheath. Wait a minute, is that…is that his spine?!? Suddenly I fell very sick to my stomach. "Clematis Dance…first the vine, hahhhhh! Then the flower…this bone is my strongest it will bore right through you, defense isn't all." That's guy's heartbeat is starting to get irregular…he's going to die within the hour! Sand starts gathering in the middle of the guy's spine. I stand, recovered from the blow I took.

"Ultimate Defense: Shukaku's Shield!" A defensive jutsu named after the demon living inside you…nice. The sound-nin starts to try and bore through Gaara's new advance form of his sand shield. Gaara's had to put a lot into this battle with all those jutsus, he doesn't a whole lot of chakura left I can sense it…must be because I'm not human…The 'flower' part of this guy's jutsu starts crack and it breaks.

"It's so strong."

"I took the hardest minerals in the soil I gathered and then I fused them with the sand using my chakura…Tell me…that's a very unusual jutsu, it's a kekkei genkai, right?"

"It belonged to the Kaguya, but now it belongs to me and me alone."

"You're the last of your clan, eh? Then your clan perishes today." What's with the 'eh', is he Canadian or something?

"That might very well be the case, my body has weakened it may not last much longer. However…I will still live on…because I am not alone." This guy doesn't know that Orochimaru was just using him, or that was most likely the case.

"You're not alone you say?"

"That's right my existence has been subsumed into Lord Orochimaru's ambition. That means apart of will survive in Lord Orochimaru's heart forever."

"Orochimaru's brainwashed you well, you sad little pawn." A pit of quicksand appears around the guy and starts sinking in with no hope of getting out.

"It is amazing he still has chakura!" Lee exclaims…this time I'm not close enough for it to hurt/annoy me.

"I underestimated him." I hear the other guy say under his breath.

"I will bury you 200 meters below the surface of the earth, under pressure so great you won't be able to move finger. Imprisoned there 'til the end of time." I can't feel his vibrations yet because of the quicksand…

"You did it! This time I am certain of it!" I put my hand on the ground to make sure he's dead.

"No way…He's still alive?!" I squeal.

"What?" the boys retort at the same time.

"Dance…Bracken Dance!" bones start shooting up from the ground. Right before the bones reach me Gaara has the three of us up on sand-cloud-thingies…

"Thank you Gaara you saved me again. These powers of yours are truly remarkable." Lee says.

"Yeah, it's really amazing that a red-blood can come so close to bending." I state agreeing with lee. Oh…shit I slipped and said 'red-blood' I hope they didn't notice…

"Not really, I'm merely able to make the sand do my biding, its second nature to me now." Gaara says, being modest. Oh good he didn't notice I called him a red-blood. "A tenacious opponent, but this time it's over. We won't be seeing him again in this life."

"Yes, good." Lee says.

"Good." I sigh.

"-! My strength is gone we must descend."

"I am not his pawn! He is the one, the only one who ever gave my life meaning!" Why won't this guy die already?!? Grrr… He's not gonna be the only one I've killed. "BUT HOW COULD THE LIKES OF YOU EVER UNDERSTAND THAT?!" I jump in front of Gaara before the sound-nin stabs him. His bone pierces half-way through my left hand I used to redirect his arm and I use my right hand to choke him. But as I put my right hand on his neck, blood spurts from his mouth. He died of some natural cause.

"He is dead." Lee states and even the wind blows a sigh of relief.

"You…saved me…It was sheer luck you came today…I should've been killed." Gaara says (I think that's his way of thanking me…) in both shock and relief once we're on the ground again.

"No, it was not meant to be. My sensei has often said to me, that a good ninja always makes his own luck." Lee disagrees.

"That meddlesome mother hen." Gaara responds. I smile and laugh in my head, that's got to be the funniest thing he's ever said…at least _I_ think it's funny.

"Gai-sensei is nothing of the sort! Yes he stepped in, but only that once and only because I was not yet strong enough. I am very grateful to you for having saved my life, but I warn you I will not abide anyone speaking ill of my sensei." Lee warns him.

"…So you're another one, eh?...You have someone in your life who you honor and revere so much that every hurt that is inflicted on them is inflicted on you as well, and the closer they are to you the greater the pain…To feel so strongly for some you'd fight for them, and die for them. You and Naruto Uzumaki have that in common…however what if this person you honor and would even die for is not a virtuous person?" If he became Kazekage he could write his owns speeches, ones that move you I mean.

"Impossible! Such a person wou-would be unworthy of honor or respect!" Lee protests.

"No? Perhaps the companionship of an evil person is preferable to loneliness…" My heart starts racing again as soon as he says that last word. I have a very strong guess to what my preference is, but I don't want to bite him.

"…Do you have a person like that? Someone who is precious to you? ...G-Gaara?" Lee asks him.

"No."

"Then what about your siblings…or your friends?" Lee please stop pressing this…I beg him in my head. My heart feels like it's going to burst-it really hurts and on top of that my hand still hasn't started to heal yet so the pain is still there and intense.

"Do you really think a monster like me has friends?"

"I don't…" I start trying to calm myself down and trying to make my first friend at the same time. "I don't think you're a monster…I've finally found my half sister in the Leaf village but…I just wanted to make sure she was alive before I became a ninja and what I'm saying might sound irrelevant. But part of the reason I wanted to be a shinobi of the Sand was because I was hoping we could be friends…at least that's part of the reason as of this morning." I smile. "And…at least you're…_human_." Finally, my hand's starting to heal…I clutch it into a fist so they don't see it healing so fast.

"Excuse me but…what do you mean by that?" Lee asks me. "And earlier you called Gaara a 'red-blood'. What does that mean?"

"Uhhh…well…" of all the people…Lee notices…I guess I should…no I can't…but it's no use lying…but they might hate me if I…they'd just find out later on though…they might not even believe me… "Umm…w-well Th-that's because I…" I bite down on my bottom lip. It's almost healed… "I'm a…" I whisper the last word so softly I'm not even sure I actually said it.

"What…?" Gaara presses me to go on…I think…

"Vam…."

"You are a vam?" lee asks confused.

"The color of vampire blood is blue whilst a human's is red."

"What do vampires have to do with this?"

"…So vampires just call humans red-bloods. I don't if you've ever heard of the term 'blue-bloods' but that's the correct term for vampires. And…" I open my hand and look at it, totally healed, "that's what I am. A blood-sucking _monster_."

"But if you were a vampire, you would be dead right? Because of the sunlight?"

"That's just a lie put out to protect us, and there are a few things you should know about vam-…blue bloods: 1. If one bites a human they won't die or turn into one of us, 2. Blue-bloods can't just bite _any_ red-blood, they have to have the certain trait that the blue-blood is attracted to -- their blood preference, 3. we don't mature as a blue-blood, or 'Awaken', until at least the age of 13 or 14 depending on the vampire, oh and number 4. We have the ability to erase your memory-not completely though the memory has to be fresh to be erased if it's not then that's when your mind wiped completely clean and you'd have re-learn everything."

"Everything?" Lee repeats my last word.

"As in you'd have to learn to talk, walk, etc. all over again...You guys seem to be taking this well, I mean I'm not even the same species as you."

"Prove it." Gaara demands. I can understand him wanting me to prove it but…

"I…don't have to if I don't want to…but my hand should be proof enough." I show them my left hand; it's almost finished healing itself. Lee grabs my hand to look at it closely. "Hey! Owww! There's another you should know," I pull my hand back,  
"Our wounds heal fast but…the pain lingers for a while after. Also I'm basically trusting you with my life, telling you this secret of mine because…I have no idea how to erase memory. Though I myself haven't awakened yet, so I think comes with awakening."

"Do not worry! I will protect your secret with power of youth!" (A/N: I had to okay? It just wouldn't be Lee w/o him going on about youth.)

"Uh-huh…huh? ...It's going to rain…"


	3. Ch 3: Kusa Cries! Double Dare!

Chapter 3: Kusa Cries! Double Dare!

_**(A/N: This chapter is in 3**__**rd**__** person!!!)**_

"Aren't you going to get ready for your date with that shrimp?" Temari asks Kusa.

"I _am _ready." Kusa retorts back to the older kunoichi. Currently the Sand Sibs (+Kusa) are staying at a hotel in the Leaf waiting for orders to go back to the Sand. Right now the village is low on shinobi and could use all the help they could get. And not to mention, today was Naruto's birthday and Kusa, by order of her imouto (little sister) was going on a date with him so he could be distracted while everyone else was getting his surprise party ready.

"Look Kusa, I'm usually not into the whole girly make over thing-"

"Your point?" Kusa interrupts.

"But seeing as you (well your hair mostly) needs one, I'll make an exception."

"Wha-?" before she can protest, Temari's got Kusa in another part of their room where the boys can't see.  
-----30 Minutes Later--  
---"Presenting the new and improved Kusa." Temari points to the space next to her but no one is there. "Come here! You look fine like that."

"But it's embarrassing." Kusa whines. She's wearing the school uniform that had stolen before entering the 'Naruto' dimension: a crimson short-sleeved blouse and black pleated skirt that goes down to just above her knees. Somehow Temari had convinced her to let her give her a new hairstyle instead of just letting it hang in her face as usual. She had brushed Kusa's hair for ten minutes and it being as short as it was, that was a long time to brush hair. It was now smooth and shiny and out of her eyes. But to Kusa's dismay people could now see the scar she had given herself just 6 ½ months earlier. "I'd better not keep Naruto-kun waiting."  
-----Hours Later in Front of Naruto's House--  
---"I had a great time Naruto-kun." _They should be done setting up by now._

"Yeah I guess I did too." _It's a little weird; she insisted that she walk me to my house, instead of me walking her back to her hotel room._ Naruto opens the door to his house and…

"SURPRISE!!!" comes from everyone inside. Naruto's party begins with presents which mainly consist of either instant ramen or coupons to Ichiraku Ramen. Once that's over and the partying actually begins and Kusa not knowing what she should actually do just goes out on the porch behind his house. A slight breeze blows by as she leans on the railing looking at the setting sun. Tired of her hair _not_ being in her face, being so used to it, Kusa fixes it so it's back to the way it was before.

"What're you doing out here by yourself?"

"Huh? Oh, hey Shikamaru-kun..."

"You look better if you keep your hair out of your eyes."

"It annoys me and sempai made me do it, it's not like I had a choice at the time."

"Hey!" Ino calls from inside, "You two come inside we're about to play a game!" she orders the two.

"Knowing them it's probably truth or dare. What a drag. Let's go in so we don't have to hear her complaining."

"Alright!" Ino yells after everyone is sitting in somewhat of a circle. "We're going to play truth or dare!" There were many hilarious dares: Naruto had to give Kankurou a foot massage, kiba had to kiss Akamaru on his furry lips, and another was that Neji had style his hair up like Tenten. So far only Hinata had picked truth but I don't have to tell you why. Kusa being bored and the glutton that she is joins Chouji at the snack table completely zoning out the game.

"Shikamaru, truth or dare?" Ino asks him.

"Eh, what the hell, dare." He says thinking that Ino would probably give a harmless dare.

"Hmmm…" she says tapping her chin, and then happens to glance over at Kusa chewing a piece of gum. "Got it!" she snaps her fingers, "I dare you to..." she whispers the rest low enough so Kusa can't here.

"Uhhh…it got really quiet over there." Kusa states to Chouji. She sees the male chuunin get up and walk over to her. "Shikamaru, why are you blushing?" he doesn't answer, "What do want?" Shikamaru grabs her and kisses her. "Mmph!!" _ What the?!? Why is he doing this? I hope it's a dare…it's my first kiss too…_After a minute Shikamaru lets go of her with both of their faces as red as tomatoes. "That…that was dare right?"

"Yeah…"

"Good. Cause that was my first…" _And if it wasn't I'd release all hell on you._ Shikamaru goes back to spot in the circle and Kusa goes back to being a glutton. Not too long after that Aria Hiroku calls Kusa over to the circle.

"So Raccoon…truth or dare?" Raccoon is the name Aria gives Kusa because of the dark circles around her eyes (she calls Gaara the Red Panda). She is Umi's conduit. A conduit is a redblood (human) who serves-or rather is a caretaker of a blueblood. They serve to keep them a secret and come up with myths to do so. They protect them and help them co-exist with other redbloods in secret and peace. Though-according to her mother-the practice of having a personal conduit is an old one and Umi is the only known living vampire to have one.

"I keep telling you, just call me Kusa! And I never said I was playing this game."

"Double Dare it is then!...Anyone got a good one?"

"I do." Comes from Temari, it seems that she was prepared for this. She whispers the dare into Aria's ear soft enough so that Kusa can't hear. Aria gets an evil grin on her face, looks like it can't be good for Kusa, and Aria approves. "So," Temari begins, "in double dare two people have to do the dare. The dare is you have to stay in the nearby lake until dawn-"

"So who's the other person?" Kusa asks with some resent in her voice.

"I wasn't done yet." Kusa makes a childish pouting face and Temari continues, "And besides _you're_ the one doing the dare, I'll let you decide exactly who is going to be with you until dawn."

"Well, what if I refuse or quit in the middle of the dare?"

"Then you'll just have to face me call you chicken for the rest your life."

"You won't live _**that**_ long." Kusa mutters under her breathe. She already had a blush from what Shikamaru did earlier, now with the dare in mind it just deepens.

"So…who's gonna be?"

"Is torturing me becoming a hobby of yours or something?" Temari smirks. Everyone seems interested in whom Kusa picks to be the one suffering with her, "Well…um…he'd have to be able to umm…uh…make sure I stay _**all**_ night, right? So…Gaara…" _ Gawd, what is up with me I'm starting to sound like Hinata!_ Everyone, except for Temari and Aria, is completely shocked at Kusa's decision, especially the red-head himself. They leave to the nearest lake and the game continues…

"Alright I'll just take Kusa's turn since she's not here anymore." Aria states. "Temari-chan, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Is it true that you knew Kusa was going to choose Gaara to go with her?"

"Of course. It's so obvious Kusa has a crush on him." -- 10 minutes later--

"Why me? It's _my_ birthday; I should be at _my _party having fun. Not spying on Kusa, this is something Pervy Sage would do." Naruto says out loud on his way to the lake. He was the 'Chosen One' to spy on the two younger Sand genin. The blonde shinobi was given a video camera to document them. This is something Pervy Sage would do, he said to the younger of the Kubi sisters. Even so Umi made Naruto go, on account that was _his _dare.

"Gah!" Kusa yells falling into the water…again. She figured since they'd be stuck there the whole night anyway Gaara should help her with her chakura control. And so far…even Naruto has better chakura control than she does. "I should know better by now…" it being soaking wet and just making her colder, Kusa takes off her tank top revealing her flawless torso, along with the rest of her body. _ I'm really, really glad that I love the color black…_she thinks to herself and then throws the useless tank on the shore next to the rest of her clothes. Her face instantly turns red from embarrassment.

In the surrounding forest, Naruto sets up the camera where Kusa and Gaara can't see it. Then Naruto notices the Sand kunoichi with only her bikini-like underwear on and has a massive nosebleed. "She's even more perfect then my Sexy Jutsu!!!...I didn't think that was even possible!!! **T^T**!"Unfortunately for him, Kusa heard him feeling sorry for himself.

"Gaara…did you…hear that?" the scent of blood drifts to her nose. _No…why now…I don't want to awaken now…I have to at least get away from Gaara. _She tries to get out of the lake, away from Gaara.

"You're not going anywhere until you get this right." _ She always runs away when she has a problem. _He grabs her arm, still standing in the water. Kusa's heart starts racing and pounding like it's going to pop out of her chest any second.

"G-Gaara I-I don't want bite you…" She squeaks out barley being able to talk, let alone stand. She pulls away from him and runs out of the lake, eyes changing color, mind fogging up. Naruto recovers from his nosebleed and sees Kusa running straight towards him. She trips over the camera and he catches her before her face meets the ground.

"Kusa, you okay? You're really clumsy aren't you?" she looks up at him with brilliant red eyes and fangs fully extended for the first time. "Whoa Kusa, what's with your eyes?" quickly she pulls down his jacket collar while pushing up against a nearby tree so he can't get away."Wha-?...Ahahahah…" She bites him, with more than enough blood exchanged between the two genin. Naruto falls to the ground unconscious; Kusa looks up and stares at the full moon, still facing the tree.

"Kusa." Gaara calls her. She stays silent but turns around and looks at him with the same brilliant red eyes she looked at Naruto with. Almost like she was someone else, them she smiles. "Watashi wa Inochi." she says in a deeper voice than usual. Her eyes return to their normal color and she drops to her knees. That's when she sees the camera and blacks out.

"What the heck?! What're you-?!" Naruto practically screams regaining consciousness . "Huh?! Is she dead?!" he notices her lying on the ground, a huge stream of blood coming from her mouth going down the middle of her body.

"She…passed out." Gaara answers him.

"What was she…was it some kind of jutsu?" Naruto puts his hand on his neck where Kusa bit him to find two small circular raised spots. "What did do to me?" he asks Gaara.

"She…" he hesitates, contemplating on whether he tell Naruto or not. "She bit you. She's a vampire."

"Ahahahah, you're kidding…right?" Gaara doesn't answer. "Right…?" ----Meanwhile----

"Ughhh…I must've hit my head when I fell…huh? Okay…this is definitely not the lake." Kusa says while rubbing her head. She found herself in a dungeon-type hallway, ankle-deep in water. She walks down the hallway and notices a door labeled "Inochi". She turns the doorknob curious what's in the room, but as she opens the door everything turns white. _It's so cold…What happened?_

"Gaara, can you get the other towel?"Naruto asks him. Kusa regains consciousness and being cold she snuggles up to Naruto attempt to get warm.

"So warm…hu? Naruto? What're you doing here? Where's Gaara?"

"Here." He gives her his jacket so she can be warm.

"Oh…um…thanks. So…what _are_ you doing here?"

"You mean you don't remember anything?"

"I remember tripping over something and possibly hitting my head."

"Well…uh...heh-heh…funny story really…" he stars, _Wow, talk about dangerous…_"Well, you…you looked at me with red eyes and pushed me up against a tree and…you bit me." Immediately she gets up and starts tearing up.

"I'm so sorry!" she runs off. _How…how could I do that to Naruto? He probably hates me now…-!_ She stops running after a few minutes and cries to herself. _I know everything he knows…even…even the Rasengan. I can't face him _or_ Gaara, not after that. _Too busy crying to herself, Kusa doesn't hear someone approach her.

"Kusa…so it's true...You really _are_…a vampire." When she hears Naruto say this, she stops crying and tries to make a run for it again. Naruto grabs her by the wrist before she can get away and then pushes her upper lip up so he can see her, "Fangs…" he breathes. Kusa knocks his hand off of her face.

"Iee!!!" she screams in the vampires' language. "Taskete! Taskete!" **(A/N: Iee means 'no' and Taskete means 'help me'.)**

"I don't know what you're saying, but will you please stop trying to run away from me?" Naruto asks and Kusa stops struggling. "Kusa…you're a vampire…right?"

"WAAAAH! WAH! Awww! Ahh! Ah…" Naruto lets go of her and she keeps sobbing until Gaara gets there.** (A/N: By the way he has his clothes back on and he brought Kusa's with him).**

"Are you done crying now?" Gaara asks with a small hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Bes…" her face red and nose runny from crying.

"Here…blow your nose." Gaara gives her the unused towel.

"B…Bokay." Kusa blows her nose until her voice sound sounds normal. "Uh…umm…Please…don't tell anyone…If…if people fi…find out…I won't be able to come back here. Ever. They'll tell other people and word will spread to whole world that I'm a vampire and then…I won't be able to live any-any longer." She starts tearing up again.

"Oh! Hey, hold on! Don't cry anymore! Do I look like the kind of guy who spreads secrets?"

"But…I'm gross…right?" everyone would want to run me out of the country…or get rid of me. Who…who wants to be around a monster like me?"

_Is she bipolar? She __**told**__ Rock Lee and I she was a vampire and back then she was calm about it…_Gaara thinks to himself.

"Don't be an idiot!" Naruto starts yelling at Kusa. "I'd never feel that way! Don't think of me like that! Listen, even a monster doesn't deserve to be driven from their home!! That's gross!! That's unforgivable!! Don't compare me to someone like that!! Ya hear me?!"

"N-Naruto…" she feels a searing pain on both of her cheeks. She brings her hand up to her left cheek and it's wet, but not from her tears, from her blood. "Wha…THA HELL?!?" it evaporates after a minute because of its exposure to air.

"What wa that blue stuff?" Naruto asks a little shaken by the brunette's sudden outburst.

"My…blood. That's the main difference between humans and vampires, the color of blood. Humans are red-bloods and vampires are blue-bloods, believe it……I don't know why but I have a craving for some ramen right now." She heads towards town.

"…Kusa…your clothes…" Gaara hands them to her.

"Oh…thanks…" She starts dressing. "Naruto! I challenge you to a ramen-eating contest!" she chucks his jacket at him. "And loser has to pay." --Later at Ichiraku's after the little contest--

"I can't believe a _girl _beat me at an eating contest…" Naruto whines.

"Believe it! Another bowl please, Mr. Teuchi!"

"How can you still be eating?"

"With my mouth." The contest winner states. _I can't help but think about earlier at the lake, Gaara, him seeing me like that, in my…He's like a brother to me so…why do I feel so embarrassed about it?!?_

"Hey Kusa?" Naruto pulls her from her thoughts. "Why's your face so red? Are you coming down with something?" He puts a hand on her forehead. "You're really warm."

"I-I fine, really I am. There's nothing wrong at all." she goes back to eating to eating her ramen. " Hey, um…do you think we could maybe go to the hot springs? (I've never been to one before.)" She asks after they've left the ramen shop.

"Uhhh, sure I guess." Naruto answers her._ She's acting like Hinata…weird._

"Oh, I was asking Gaara…So, how 'bout it?" she grins widely looking at him.

"We can go." _I've never seen her this happy before…Is it because she bit Uzumaki or something else?_

"Ahhh…" Kusa steps into the hot springs. "I knew the hot springs were relaxing but…damn I could stay here forever…"

"Huh!? Kusa? Is that you? What're you doing here?"

"S-Sakura!?" Kusa squeals.

"Ow! You're louder than Naruto!" Sakura complains.

"Sorry…So you're taking a bath too, huh?"

"Yea. Hey aren't you supposed to be at the lake 'til dawn.?"

"Oh crap! I completely forgot about that!"

"You idiot!" Sakura yells hitting Kusa. "How could you forget?!"

"I was hungry so we went for ramen."

"By 'we' you mean Gaara and yourself?"

"And Naruto, I found out about Umi's dare."

"So why did you pick Gaara anyway? For your dare." Sakura asks the shorter girl, slightly changing the subject.

"Because…uh…huh…I dunno…I guess I just did, no reason."

"Maybe you have a crush on him!" Sakura teases loudly.

"No! Why would I like him like that?! He's…he's like a brother to me!" Kusa defends even louder than Sakura teased.

"Kusa look at you! You're face is all red!!!" Someone enters the spring from the changing room and both kunoichi, out of curiosity, look. It's a very disheveled looking man who seems to not have taken a bath in a while.

"Ahhhhh!" the girls scream together.

"G-get out of here!!!" Kusa flicks her wrist and the man is trapped in an icy prison.

"Sakura! Kusa! You alright!?" Naruto shouts over the fence that separates the men's and the women's springs.

"Yeah, we're fine." Kusa shouts back. _ Did I really just waterbend?_


	4. Ch 4: Kankurou Has a What!

Chapter 4: Kankurou Has A What?

(Kusa's POV)

"What is with this storm? I thought it was the rainy season…" I complain about the current sandstorm.

"It is the rainy season but we get sandstorms all year round. Don't worry though; it should be over before nightfall." Temari reassures me.

I sigh. "I hope so. I can't wait to finally be in a home. Uch…I'm tired of frickin' hotel rooms and park benches."

"And I can't wait to see my Kettai again, it's been too long." Kankurou sighs.

"Who's that? Wait, never mind, I'll find out if it's important." I blow the lock of hair that rests on my nose up, out of boredom.

After about four hours the sandstorm still hasn't stopped and Temari and Kankurou got so bored they fell asleep. Gaara and I already ate dinner; it was leftovers from a fast food kind of place we went to earlier today. I make a fire to keep us warm since desert nights are so cold, especially if you spend one in a cave.

I glare at the storm outside, as if doing that would make it just disappear elsewhere. "That won't help." Gaara states the obvious yet again.

"Yeah I know…" I sigh. "I'm just impatient and I've been traveling from place to place my whole life. I don't think I've ever really had a home. Although, I only remember three years back so…I might've had a home before then."

"There used to be a girl just like you in my class at the ninja academy in the Sand, but she disappeared almost four years ago." Gaara states somewhat out of the blue.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I was thinking…you might be her but…"

"But what?"

"She was blind so there's no possible way you're the same girl." Even though he says this, he has this look in his eye that tells me he's thinking otherwise. I let it slide and take off my boots since we probably won't be leaving this cave until morning.

"Then why'd you say anything?"

"You look like an older version of her. Plus…she had a younger twin sister."

"What? A twin?" I ask, astonished at the fact that I look like this mystery girl.

"That twin…is Kankurou's girlfriend Kettai."

"Kankurou's?" I laugh. "Kankurou has a girlfriend?" I keep laughing.

"She's taller than you and her hair is longer, but….other than that…she looks exactly like you."

I stop laughing and my eyes widen. "She…what?"

As we arrive in the village the next morning, a man with the left half of his face covered , in the standard Sand ninja gear, and red markings on his cheeks; almost like the Inuzuka clan's and Umi, walks up to us. He seems familiar somehow…

"Baki? Are you meeting us here?" Kankurou asks him. _Oh that's right he's their sensei…from the chuunin exams…_

"No…" He looks at me and then lightly grips my shoulders. "Kusa…Do you remember me?" he asks.

"Uhhh…well…" I look away.

"How could she know you? She's never met you." Gaara pipes in.

"Oh, that's right…he was never told…" Temari says.

"Told what?" he asks.

"About the Blue Bloods." Kankurou answers him.

"Wait you guys know about them?" I question, looking at the ground. "About us? Why didn't you tell me you knew?"

"Well, we weren't certain that you were-"

"That's a big fat lie!" I yell, cutting Temari off. "Using earthbending I feel the vibrations in earth and when someone lies, there's a physical reaction that I can feel with my feet."

"Even through those thick-soled shoes." Kankurou states.

"Yeah." I breathe. Baki pulls me into a hug.

"Kusa Kubi, my beloved daughter…you've finally returned home."

"Pa…Papa?" A memory floods into my head. Baki is hugging two girls; one of them has long brown hair and wears overalls. The other one looks the same but…she also wears a cloth over her eyes and has the kanji for trust above her left eye. I start tearing up. I remember now, I used to be blind…That…That girl was-er-is me! "Papa! Papa!" I hug him tightly.

"You do remember." He smiles.

"A-a little…Papa how many siblings do I have?"

"You have two full siblings; your older brother Kumomaru and your younger twin sister Kettai. Both are waiting for us at home." He lets me go and tries to lead me home. I step backwards, towards Gaara.

"I'm going to live with these three. My _home_ is with them. I don't trust you because I don't actually know you; it doesn't matter whether you're my real father or not. But I do know Gaara, he's my best friend and I trust him! An-and Temari and Kankurou too..." Kankurou puts his hand on my shoulder.

"How about this…" he starts, "you can, live with us until you're comfortable with Baki, okay?" I look back at Baki-er-Papa, he nods approval of the idea and I agree to it.

"Okay…" I sigh. "So…uh… can we get something to eat? I'm hungry." I pat my stomach.

"Well, it is lunchtime. We can go to my home; Kettai's probably already making something as we speak."

"We can come too, right?" Kankurou asks excitedly, pointing to himself, Temari, and Gaara.

Baki sighs, "I guess, but you're going to have to wait longer for it."

"That's fine with me!" Kankurou exclaims, unusually cheerful.

As we walk to Baki-er-Papa…I'll have to get used to that…Anyway, as we're walking to Papa's house we pass by a high-end costume shop. The dress in the window catches my eye. I go over to it to take a closer look. It's a strapless Lolita dress with detached sleeves and a matching bow-tie-choker. The main part of the corset and top layers of the sleeves and skirt are black while the lace around the top and bottom of the sleeves, corset, and skirt are maroon.

((A/N: This chapter isn't finished i just wanted to post b/c all of you were so patient for waiting over 11 months for the next chapter to come out. I hope you all keep reading COB and I'll even give you a spoiler...DO NOT READ IF DONT WANT THE SPOILER!))

[Spoiler: Basically Kusa is the Avatar of the vampires the "bridge" btwn them and the red bloods this happens every 100 yrs; so for a vampire the avatar or Chikage (Blood Shadow) the original shadow has a short life. The Chikage will always fall in love his/her conduit. And also Kusa IS originally from the Naruto world and her conduit is...well you should've figured that out now...until next...Ja ne~]


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